Not All is Lost to Time
by whitewolf3190
Summary: What would happen if the Inquisitor isn't our normal Lavellan? What if she was an amnesiac Elf from the time of Arlathan? How would this change the fate of Thedas? And more importantly, how will Solas react when he finds out?
1. Prologue- The Unknown

**A/N: I apologize to any readers out there that were expecting an update to my other story. I have had a major block due to school, medical emergencies & scares, and now I'm taking care of my grandparents 24/7, ages 93 and 88. I don't know if I'll ever get back to the other story, but this one has been running around my mind for a while now and I now have some time and motivation to type it out. I don't know how often I'll be able to update this story, but I'll try my hardest. So, without further ado, enjoy!**

**Note: Any and all Elvish used in this story come from FenxShiral on AO3. You are awesome dude!**

**Disclaimers: I do NOT own Dragon Age! That honor goes to BioWare. The only things that I own are my Inquisitor and the plot. Do you really think that I'd be writing fanfiction about this if I owned it?**

* * *

"Hello"- normal speech

'Hello'- normal thought

_"Andaran Atishan"- Elvhen_

_'Hello'- telepathic communication_

* * *

**Prologue- The Unknown**

Darkness is all around me. No, not darkness, but shades of green bleed into it, giving a misty effect to the unusual landscape. Masses of rock float in this nothingness, like eerie islands isolated by this ocean of shadows and green. Paths twist and turn with no clear destination in sight, and it seems that I am the unfortunate wanderer forever doomed to traverse its dismal paths.

"Where am I?" I ask myself as I look around me in a slight daze. What I am seeing around me makes no sense to me. I start walking down the only path that is in front of me.

As I continue to walk in this nothingness of green mists and shadow, with no clear destination in mind, a strange feeling starts to creep into my chest. A feeling, that even if I were to be free from wherever it is I am, that my life will never be the same.

My life. Or what of it that I can remember. I know that my memories only go back to 8 months ago, when I was found by Keeper Deshanna of Clan Lavellan wandering the forest near their camp. I had no memories and only spoke Elvhen. It was Keeper Deshanna that taught me the Common Tongue, and Clan Lavellan that taught me how to survive in this world that I could no longer remember.

The Clan. That's right! I had left them to go somewhere. A favor to repay the clan that took me in. Somewhere important, but now that thought fades from my mind. 'What was I...?'

My fragmented thinking is interrupted by a wolf howling. _"Fenedhis!"_ I jump as it frightens me, making me wish that I had a weapon on me, but then relax as I realize that it's not the howl of a wolf on the hunt. I feel like it's wanting me to find it, to follow it. The howl sounded faint, which means that it is far off in the distance. I turn towards to where the sound came from and start walking. Walking in this forever-seeming path that twists and turns, trying to confuse and mislead me. The howl sounds again. I correct my course and continue walking towards it.

After what seems like hours- or days? It's hard to discern time here- there is only one path before me and standing in that path is a wolf like no other that I have ever seen. It is large, as least as tall as my shoulders, with a coat as dark as night and a pair of red eyes that glow with power. It simply looks at me, as if assessing me, before it turns and lopes off onto the path before us. I hurry to follow, breaking into a brisk run to keep up with it. I notice that every now and then it turns it's head, as if to make sure that I am still following it.

Suddenly, after a long while of following it, the wolf stops in it's tracks to face me. I have to backpedal on my heels in order to prevent myself from crashing into it. I still need to take a few steps back in order put a respectable distance between myself and the wolf that just continues to stare at me. Our eyes lock, one in confusion and the other with an otherworldly calm. Red into purple, our eyes remain locked as the wolf starts to take slow steps towards me. I freeze in place, one part in fear, the other in trepidation on what it is planning to do.

Up close it is even larger than I thought it would be. It stops right in front of me and stares down at me for a long moment, a strange intelligence in its gaze. I start to feel uncomfortable and want to shift my weight from leg to leg, and an itch in my left palm that begs to be scratched, but I do neither as I continue to stare up at its lupine face. The wolf huffs and lets out a large puff of air into my face and I... _**wake up.**_

**A/N: So, what do you guys think? Just a little teaser of a prologue before we get into the grit of it. Please excuse the shortness and choppiness of the chapter. It's been almost 4 years since I've written anything and my brain is running dry. I am warning you all now, that from here on out that the story will practically be transcribed from the game, with the only difference being what my plot will do and my Inquisitor's personality. Read and review to let me know what you think of this. Whitewolf3190 signing off!**


	2. Chapter 1- The Beginning Part 1

**A/N: Good evening everyone! It's nice to see that this story has been so well received so far! And I do apologize how short the prologue was. As I explained at the end, it has been close to 4 years since I've written anything, so my creative juices were running low and it was hard to get back in the swing of things. What is time-consuming is replaying the game so that I get to write down every conversation. After this chapter, expect updates every 1-2 weeks as it will probably take me that long to play a segment of the game and transcribe every little detail that goes on while spinning things to fit my plot. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimers: I do NOT own Dragon Age! That honor goes to BioWare. The only things that I own are my Inquisitor and the plot. Do you really think that I'd be writing fanfiction about this if I owned it?**

**Note: This is un-beta'd. If anyone wants to be my beta reader for this, send me a PM please!**

* * *

"Hello"- normal speech

'Hello'- normal thinking

_"**Andaran Atishan**"- Elvhen speech_

_'Hello'- telepathic_ communication

* * *

**1- The Beginning**

A green light forces my eyes to open. At first, I am confused as to what's going on, but then calm down so I can better assess the situation that I am in. My hands are shackled, the iron heavy and cold around my wrists, and I am kneeling on the ground in what looks like a dungeon. There are four armored _**shemlen** _guards surrounding me, their swords pointing in my direction.

The light flashes again, distracting me and making me glance to where it is coming from: my left palm. Uncurling my hand so that I am staring at it, pain suddenly lances through and up my arm, as if my blood has been set aflame. I let out a gasp at the amount of pain.

My heart starts to pound in my chest, its staccato beat fast and loud in my ears. I don't remember how I came to be here. The last clear thing that I remember was heading to spy on the Conclave for Clan Lavellan.

In front of me, a heavy door slams opens as two human women enter. One of them, a masculine woman with short dark hair and a scar on her right cheek wearing purple leathers and a breastplate with an emblem draped over it. The other had shoulder length red hair and wore a hooded brigandine armor in purple.

The four guards sheathe their swords as the masculine woman approaches from behind me. She leans over and above my ear sneers, "Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now. The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead. Except for you."

All thought stops at what she says.

I do not trust my voice to keep from wavering, so I merely watch and hope my eyes convey no fear as she moves to stand in front of me.

She suddenly grabs my manacled wrists. "Explain this." The strange mark flares up as she shoves my wrists down.

Explain? What is there to explain? That I do not know what it is or where it came from? That will go over well. Note the sarcasm. Either way, the best way for me to get out of this alive is to be truthful.

"I can't," I stammer out, looking up so my eyes make contact with hers.

Both women now move to either side of me as apparently that wasn't the answer they wanted to hear.

"What do you mean you _can't_?" the same woman demands.

"I don't know what that is, or how it got there." I try to explain, hoping that they can hear the sincerity in my voice.

No dice. She lunges for me. "You're lying!" she yell as she attempts to... is she trying to hit me or grab me? I never find out as the hooded one pushes her away from me.

"We need her Cassandra," is all she says as she then turn back to me.

I then fully process what Cassandra told me at the beginning of this confrontation.

'All dead. Except for me?' My stomach drops at what this means.

With shock and sorrow clearly being expressed on my face I say, "I can't believe it. All those people... dead?"

The hooded one now asks me "Do you remember what happened? How this began?" Her tone is even, not at all laced with emotion like Cassandra's was.

How this began? I try to remember, but everything is jumbled and there are some blanks. I start to recount out loud what memories that untangle.

"I remember running. Things were chasing me, and then..." a flash of a woman of light appears in my mind, "a woman?"

"A woman?" parrots the hooded woman.

I try to remember more. "She reached out to me, but then..." that's all I can recount as nothing else comes to mind.

Cassandra walks towards the woman. "Go to the forward camp, Leliana." Nice to have a name for her now. "I will take her to the rift." Say what now? You're leaving me with the violent woman that wanted to harm me not even a few minutes ago?!

Leliana leaves the dungeon as Cassandra comes towards me to start unshackling my wrists.

"What _did_ happen?" I ask her as she then proceeds to bind my hands in rope.

She hauls me to my feet as she replies "It will be easier to show you." and guides me out of the dungeon. To show me what? It's not like the world's ending, right?

Famous. Last. Words.

* * *

When the doors open, the difference in light between the dungeon and the outside burns my eyes. I throw my hands up in a pitiful attempt of shielding them. It is then that I notice that the light I am seeing beyond my fingers is green and that it is _not _coming from my hand.

As I lower my hands my mouth goes dry and only one thought goes through my mind.

'By the Creators. What in the Void _is _that?!'

Before me, in the sky, is what could only be a green vortex with ominous clouds circling around it. Chunks of rock and what could only be rubble float in the air directly in the middle of it. Green lightning occasionally flashes.

Horror and surprise are my only emotions as my mouth drops.

"We call it 'the Breach'," starts Cassandra, "It's a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour."

She turns toward me from where she was ahead of me. "It's not the only such rift. Just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave."

I can't tear my eyes away from the sight in front of me as my hands tremble. "An explosion can do that?" I ask, finally able to gaze away from the Breach to look at Cassandra.

"This one did. Unless we act, the Breach may grow until it swallows the world," answers Cassandra.

Just then, the Breach lets out a burst of energy, a roaring sound accompanying it. At the same time the mark on my hand glows the same green as the giant rift and I fall to my knees with a yell. I don't even notice the pain of my knees striking the stone, the pain in my hand is so bad. As much as I can, I tuck my bound hands close to my stomach, hoping that the pain will abate.

Cassandra crouches in front of me. "Each time the Breach expands, your mark spreads... and it is killing you."

Say what now?!

"It may be the key to stopping this, but there isn't much time," she continues, looking at me as the mark starts to calm down.

I am scared, but I need to know more. "You say it _may_ be the key... to doing what?"

"Closing the Breach," Cassandra responds, "Whether that's possible is something we shall discover shortly. It is our only chance, however. And yours."

I inhale deeply, hoping my decision isn't going to bite me in the ass later. "I understand."

"Then...?" The hope in Cassandra's voice is tangible in the air.

"I'll do what I can." I continue, "Whatever it takes."

After a moment, Cassandra stands then assists me to my feet. With her left hand on my shoulder, she proceeds to guide me through the town. There are plenty of people lining the pathway to the gate, sneering and yelling. The only thing holding them back from killing me is the woman at my side. I look towards the ground as my stomach drops.

"They have decided your guilt," starts Cassandra as we continue traveling outside the town gates, "They need it. The people of Haven mourn our Most Holy, Divine Justinia, head of the Chantry. The Conclave was hers. It was a chance for peace between mages and templars. She brought their leaders together. Now, they are dead. We lash out, like the sky. But we must think beyond ourselves. As she did."

We step through a set of huge gates and onto a bridge. "Until the Breach is sealed." Cassandra steps ahead of me and draws a knife from the small of her back.

That blade better not be for me!

She must have seen the brief flash of fear in me, as she then says, "There will be a trial. I can promise no more," as she grabs my bound wrists and cuts the rope.

"Come. It is not far."

"Where are you taking me?" I ask as I follow her across the bridge, rubbing my wrists in a feeble attempt at restoring circulation to my fingers.

"Your mark must be tested on something smaller than the Breach," says Cassandra.

Around me are soldiers and Chantry members, either staring at the Breach or on their knees praying to their Maker.

"Open the gate!" Cassandra barks out to the guards, " We are heading into the valley."

Beyond the gate, the path is interspersed with barricades, carts and corpses. Passing by us are a group of 3 soldiers, supposedly deserting their posts as fear overcomes their senses.

"Maker, it's the end of the world," I hear them yell out, their voices fading off as they turn around the bend behind us.

Continuing on, rocks covered in the energy of the Breach fall as the Breach itself bursts into life again, as well as my mark. I fall into a snowdrift as the pain overwhelms me once again. And once again, Cassandra helps me back onto my feet.

"The pulses are coming faster now," she states before continuing on. "The larger the Breach grows, the more rifts appear, the more demons we face."

"How _did_ I survive the blast?" I ask, honestly curious as that hadn't been explained to me yet.

"They said you..." starts the woman beside me, "stepped out of a rift, then fell unconscious." Say what? "They say a woman was in the rift behind you. No one know who she was. Everything farther in the valley was laid waste, including the Temple of Sacred Ashes. I suppose you'll see soon enough."

Great... This is the last thing I expected when I came to spy on the Conclave...

* * *

Shemlen- a name elves use for the humans. Its literal translation means "quick children"


	3. Chapter 2- The Beginning Part 2

**A/N: I apologize for the long wait. I've had medical things going on that has me very lethargic, yet my bloodwork has been normal. My doctor's practically tearing his hair out trying to figure out what's going on. Until then, my updates will be sporadic until things are back to normal- as normal as it can be.**

**I'm going to do something different for the first part of this chapter. Since I can't really get into the mindset of Solas's character, his POV will not be in 1st POV like I write for my OC/Herald. So bear with me.**

**All the Elvhen used in this story is thanks to FenxShiral on AO3. You rock dude!**

**Note: If any of the noncanon things here sound like you've read in another story, PM me and I'll check. I've read over 3,000 DA stories- no one can remember everything of every story they've read- so I don't know if what I will have written is in another story or not, but I'll check to verify, then give credit for any ideas that I have accidentally incorporated into mine if it is a story that I've read.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age! That honor goes to BioWare. If I really owned it, do you really think that I would write fanfics on it?**

* * *

"Hello"- regular speech

'Hello'- regular thought

_"Andaran atishan"- Elvhen_

* * *

**2- The Beginning Part 2**

**Solas's POV**

'This was not supposed to have happened!' thought Solas angrily as he encased a demon in ice before shattering it into pieces with his staff. That abomination of a magister was supposed to have died in the explosion! Not open up an unstable rift breaching this realm with the Fade, causing a seemingly endless horde of demons to appear here! Aiding him, for the moment, were a small squad of four soldiers and a dwarf wielding a crossbow named Varric. Engaging them are small groups of shades, a corpse like demon wearing tattered robes and with unnaturally long arms with clawed hands, and nearby is a small rift that keeps spawning more of them as soon as they eliminate the current group.

So lost in his thoughts and fighting the demon in front of him, he does not notice a second one behind him until the sound of something hitting flesh and a screech reaches his ears. Chancing a glance, he sees the shade that was behind him with a dagger protruding from its head, and behind it a female elf with one of her arms outstretched. The source of the thrown dagger. He can feel her magic and wonders why she does not use it. Either she's hiding it, or she has no idea that she has it. He turns back to the fight as Cassandra and the female join in.

After a few more minutes all of the shades are dead and all that is left is the rift. Seeing the mark in her palm, he makes up his mind.

"Quickly, before more come through!" he yells as he grabs the wrist of her left hand and quite literally shoves it, and the mark, into the rift. He can feel the magic of the mark surge forth, and using his own he guides it into the rift. It surprises him when he feels her own magic rise up to support his own, and he slowly withdraws his magic as the rift starts to shrink before it closes with a small implosion.

Letting go of her wrist, he takes the time to look her over better now that they weren't in the dungeons back in Haven. The first thing he notes is that she is taller than most elves of this Age, her head level with his eyes, peaking his curiosity as to her origins. She has long white hair that would have fallen to her mid-back if it weren't pulled into a braided ponytail that drapes over her left shoulder, and pale skin. Her eyes are a shade of purple that are reminiscent of amethysts that seem to glow in the light and she wears leathers over a light suit of chainmail, similar to what the Dalish hunters and rogues wear. Curious, so she has lived with them. She has a scar that starts over her left brow and travels through it over her eye to rest on her cheek. There is also a long horizontal scar on her right cheek. But the most startling thing about her are the blue lines that are tattooed into her skin. He knows they are not _vallas'lin_ and he can sense the lyrium from where he is standing. The marks start on her cheeks and delicately curl and wind down to her chin before diving down her throat to below her clothing.

Looking at him she asks in bewilderment, "What did you do?" Her voice has a heavy accent, as if she is not used to speaking the Common tongue.

_"I_ did nothing. The credit is yours," Solas answers, interested in her wording. Did she not feel her magic respond to his or the mark's? Or is she asking because she did. He will have to ascertain how skilled she is in her magic, if she knows about it.

"_I_ closed that thing? How?" she asks, staring at her hand in confusion.

"Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach's wake- and it seems I was correct," Solas states, assuming his knowledgeable apostate image.

"Meaning it could also close the Breach itself." Cassandra says, walking to stand beside the female with the mark in her hand.

"Possibly," he answers her. Turning from Cassandra, he looks at the woman- he really needs to learn her name- and says, "It seems you hold the key to our salvation."

"Good to know!" states Varric, adjusting one of his gloves. "Here I thought we'd be ass-deep in demons forever." He makes his way over as they all turn towards the dwarf.

"Varric Tethras," the auburn-haired dwarf introduces himself, "rogue, storyteller, and occasionally unwelcome tagalong." That last bit was aimed towards the Seeker with a wink, who looks at the dwarf with some disgust.

"That's... a nice crossbow you have there." she tells the Child of the Stone.

"Ah, isn't she?" Varric glances back to said weapon on his back. "Bianca and I have been through a lot together."

"You named your crossbow Bianca?" she looks amused as she asks this.

"Of course." the dwarf almost looks insulted, as if she asking if he's crazy for doing so. "And she'll be great company in the valley."

The Seeker cuts in as she walks up to us. "Absolutely not. Your help is appreciated, Varric, but..."

Varric interrupts her. "Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker? Your soldiers aren't in control anymore. You need me."

Cassandra turns to walk away from the dwarf with a noise of disgust and exasperation leaving her lips.

"My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions." says Solas, noticing her eyes widen just the smallest bit. Placing that observation for later he continues, "I am pleased to see you still live."

"He means, 'I kept that mark from killing you while you slept.'" Varric elaborates.

"You seem to know a great deal about it all." she remarks. Has she seen through his mask? Still, it is a logical thing to ask considering all that has happened so far. That and Solas is pleased that someone other than him is showing some interest in the Fade.

"Solas is an apostate, well-versed in such matters," remarks the Seeker.

"Technically all mages are now apostates, Cassandra. My travels allowed me to learn much of the Fade, far beyond the experience of any Circle mage. I came to offer whatever help I can give with the Breach. If it is not closed, we are all doomed, regardless of origin." He explains, taking the jab of his status with a grain of salt.

"And what will you do once this is over?" asks the elf.

"One hopes those in power will remember who helped and who did not." Solas turns his head to look at Cassandra. "Cassandra, you should know: the magic here is unlike any I have seen." Should he tell her of the prisoner's magic or withhold that tidbit? Oh, to the Void, it will be more amusing for the Seeker to find out on her own. "Your prisoner is no mage," he states. "Indeed, I find it difficult to imagine _any_ mage having such power."

Casssandra nods her head in acknowlegdement. "Understood." She starts to move. "We must get to the forward camp quickly."

"Well, Bianca's excited!" Solas hears Varric say, supposedly to the female that is now behind him as he follows the Seeker.

* * *

Things just keep getting weirder and weirder. Waking up in a dungeon? Check. A strange mark of unknown magical origin in my palm? Check. A giant rift that punches through the Veil into the realm of dreams and spirits? Check number three. But this? THIS?! Being able to close these rifts using said mark in my hand? I feel like I'm either going to faint from the absurdity of it all or that I am going insane. The former better happen after I close the Breach, for I really don't want it to be the latter.

Being introduced to Varric and Solas was interesting. I mean, I have never met a dwarf before, that I can remember, but I'm pretty sure that they live underground and that they have facial hair, which is neither for Varric. As for Solas, the elvhen male leaves me wanting to know more about him. And he knows so much about the Fade! I'm honestly curious and hope that he can tell me more about it. But what was with that look he kept giving me? As if I am hiding something that he noticed. What is it?

What was strange was the barrage of images that assaulted my mind when Solas grabbed my wrist. So many images, so much information! But the main thing that I noticed was that the sky was tinged green, like it is now- but natural?- and that Solas was in them, or a younger looking version of him with hair. Was the Veil created by someone? Something? And what does Solas have to do with this? I shake my head a few times to focus. I'll go through these new images/memories later- I need to focus on the here and now. This can wait until I have the time to go over them.

I break into a brisk jog to catch up to them.

"This way, down the bank. The road ahead is blocked," states Cassandra, pointing out half of what used to be a wall that she then promptly jumps over.

"We must move quickly," says Solas as he quickly and nimbly, almost gracefully, follows Cassandra over. My mind grinds to a halt. Wait, gracefully? Did I just think that? My face explodes into a blush as I realize what exactly I had just thought about him.

Looking away from Solas and praying that he doesn't see my blush, I am the last to jump over the half-wall, having just seen Varric climb his way over it. This makes me chuckle under my breath and thankfully rids me of the blush.

We make our way down a small path hugging the side of a cliff that drops to the frozen creek to our right. The silence surrounding us is unnerving and it is only then that while I know their names, they don't know mine... my thoughts trail off as I realize that in everything that has happened so far I didn't realize that I don't even remember my own name!

I start to panic, and thankfully nobody notices as I am in the back. I wrack my mind, hoping that something will pop up. Thankfully, there is some memory that appears. It's not much, just a voice, but it feels familiar to me and I know what it's saying: _"Ma da'fen."_

Little Wolf. His voice feels familiar and comforting to me and most importantly, has given me a name to use until I remember my actual one. With that in mind, I pick up the pace until I catch up to Varric and Solas.

Getting their attention, I introduce myself. "While I know your names, I never gave you mine," I start. "My name is Fen." A strange expression comes across Solas' face but is gone before I can discern what it is.

"Your name means 'wolf'," Solas simply states, the tone of his voice flat. Varric simply looks at me with an eyebrow raised, waiting for my response.

"It is the only name I know," I say, not knowing how exactly to explain to them that it literally is the only name I know that refers to myself.

I turn from them before any of them can say anything else and follow Cassandra until the path levels out with the frozen creek that meets with an equally frozen lake. We all hear a sound that can only mean one thing.

"Demons ahead!" Solas shouts, and we all prepare ourselves.

"Glad you brought me now, Seeker?" pipes in Varric, loading a bolt onto Bianca.

I feel magic wash over me- how can I recognize it?- and realize that Solas has cast a barrier over all of us, as Cassandra charges ahead with sword drawn in one hand and shield in the other.

Ahead of us are a group of shades and wraiths- including one shade that looks different from the rest, with a crest running down its back and a protrusion from its forehead- rushing towards us. I fall back in order to find a way to flank them knowing that my armor is not strong enough in a direct combat with them. I hear the twang of Varric's crossbow as he lets loose a bolt into the group of demons and the flash of magic as lightning leaves Solas' staff, paralyzing the demons just as Cassandra reaches them and cleaves two of the shades in half. Spotting a gaseous wraith close to me, I lash out with my daggers hacking away at it until it dissipates.

Hearing shrieks behind me I duck just as a clawed hand swipes where my head would have been and turn to swing my right hand at its midsection. It's the unique-looking shade and it continues to swipe at me while all I can do is block and swing when I see an opening.

I can hear the others still fighting their demons as my foe and I move across the surface of the frozen lake, hacking and slashing and dodging its attacks until at last it explodes into black smoke as my blades sink into its head. It is then that I notice that there are no other enemies as the others had finished off the rest.

I feel ashamed as I look at the ground. Out of the group of demons that we faced, I only took down two while they defeated the rest. It isn't until I feel a hand on my shoulder that I look up. It is Cassandra's hand that is on my arm and her expression isn't angry. Instead, it's... of pride?

"That was very well done," she says, a smirk on her lips. "Not many rogues can fight in close combat with their foes, especially the way you did." She gives my arm a pat before walking off.

My confusion must have been on my face, for it is Solas that elaborates what Cassandra has said to me. "What you just faced was a Greater Shade. They are stronger than the regular shades we have faced earlier, and it usually takes more than one person to defeat them. That you did so by yourself gives credit to your skills." The blush on my face makes a reappearance, not used to the praise that they have given me.

I follow them as we inspect a couple of abandoned cabins- only finding a few small things- and another group of demons near the mountainside off to the side, before we make our way up a set of stone steps that will take us towards the forward camp. The mark in my hand suddenly acts up, letting off magical energy as I breathe a sharp inhale in pain.

"Shit, are you all right?" asks Varric, looking concerned.

"I'll be fine," I grunt out, shaking my hand to alleviate some of the pain as we stop for a moment and isn't much longer that the glow fades from the mark and the pain subsides for the moment.

After that, we continue up the steps.

"So…" starts Varric. "Are you innocent?" he asks as we continue to walk.

"I don't remember what happened," I truthfully say as I really don't remember what happened at the Conclave.

"That'll get you every time. Should have spun a story." Varric quips.

"That's what _you_ would have done," admonishes Cassandra.

"It's more believable, and less prone to result in premature execution," Varric throws back to the Seeker.

After defeating another group of demons at the top of the stairs, we follow a worn path up the mountain.

"I hope Leliana made it through all this," says Cassandra, looking a little concerned for her friend? Comrade?

"She's resourceful, Seeker," Varric reassures her.

"We will see for ourselves at the forward camp," Solas pipes in. "We are almost there."

We make our way up the path to the last set of stairs before the camp, and as we start to ascend my mark starts to spark again. I sigh as I draw my daggers. Can't we get a frickin' break already!

"Another rift!" Cassandra yells out.

"We must seal it! Quickly!" says Solas, readying the staff in his hands.

We crest the stairs to see a rift in front of the gates, with wraiths and shades engaged in combat with some of the soldiers there.

"They keep coming! Help us!" yells out one of the soldiers, ducking behind a barricade to dodge a wraith's energy attack before firing back with a crossbow.

We all run to engage the demons and relieve the pressure from the two soldiers.

"Get me close to the rift!" I yell to Cassandra, and I see her nod her head as she rushes towards the demons with a yell erupting from her. I quickly follow her as I feel Solas' barrier cover us once again.

As Cassandra barrels through the demons, I take parting swipes at them as I slowly make my way closer towards the rift. When I am close enough I raise my marked hand towards it and feel that same feeling as from the first rift. It feels as if my hand is absorbing the energy of the rift, but it doesn't close. Instead it self-implodes but is still there. I look around, seeing that a few demons are left before Varric and Cassandra take them down.

"Hurry-use the mark!" urges Solas, and I try again. Again I raise my hand and this time the rift slams shut as I jerk my hand back. I take deep breaths, feeling exhausted all of a sudden. That rift took more effort than the first one, and I can only wonder if it will be possible at all to close the Breach or not.

"The rift is gone! Open the gate!" orders Cassandra as we check ourselves for injury. Varric is unharmed, having stayed out of range of the demons as he shot at them with Bianca. Cassandra has a few cuts and bruises from a Greater Shade that a potion quickly heals. Solas obtained a few scratches that he ends up healing using his magic. The only injury I receive from this skirmish with the demons is a freely bleeding gash on my forehead. Stemming the bleeding with one hand, I reach into my pouch for one of the potions that Cassandra gave me a while back.

"Right away, Lady Cassandra!" one of the soldiers acknowledges.

Solas walks over to me as I finish drinking down the foul-tasting potion. "We are clear for the moment. Well done." I faintly blush again, but it is hidden by the flush of exertion from the battle, and disgust from the potion.

"Whatever that thing on your hand is, it's useful," comments Varric. And with that, we make our way through the gate and into the forward camp.

* * *

_Ma da'fen:_ My little wolf

Magister: a mage of the country of Tevinter that is a ranked member of their government, the Magisterium.

_Vallas'lin:_ Elvhen blood writing. sacred tattoos honoring one of their gods.

Lyrium: a mineral substance mined by dwarves. It replenishes the mana of mages and grants Templars their anti-mage abilities.

Seeker: an order that's been around for centuries, the Seekers work with the Chantry to root out the truth from rumors.

* * *

**A/N: Tada! The newest chapter. Sorry for the long wait, everyone. Read and review to let me know what you guys think! I'm not afraid of criticism, but please no flames. Any flames will be used to boost my character's magic. And I'm still looking for a Beta reader to help me out! PM me if you're interested! Whitewolf3190 signing out!**


	4. Preview: New Potential Story

**A/N: Hi! I really hate to do this, but this plot bunny will ****not**** leave my mind! Here are some segments of this new ****_potential_**** story. Let me know if I should expand on this**

**3/13/2020: I have fixed some details and added things in the previous chapters, so make sure to re-read or you'll get a little confused in the later chapters. **

**I like constructive criticism, as long as they're not flames, and I honestly don't know if you-the readers- like this story if all I'm getting are "Nice!" and "Update soon!"**

* * *

I sigh as I look to my alarm clock. 2 o'clock in the morning. I turn back to my laptop and stare at the loading screen of Dragon Age: Inquisition. This is my fifth play through playing as an elf mage. As it finishes loading, I look at the face of my Inquisitor: pale skin, white-blond hair that almost looks silver,a couple of scars on her brow and cheek, glowing amethyst eyes, and the vallas'lin of Mythal the same shade as her eyes branching on her forehead and under her eyes.

Sighing again, I save my game and click to exit, then turn off my laptop. Standing up from my desk, I walk into the kitchen and reach for a clean glass by the sink, then for the pitcher of water. Taking a sip, I think about my life up to this point.

* * *

Seeing a glow coming from under the door to my bedroom, I open it only to stare in shock. For in front of me, sitting on my desk is my laptop, screen on and glowing with an eerie, but familiar, green light.

"I thought I turned it off," I quietly mutter as I walk towards it, intending to touch the screen to turn it off again. Instead, what happens is a violent jerking sensation before I fall unconscious.

* * *

Picking myself up from the debris of what used to be the bridge, Cassandra and I look up just as a Fade-touched rock slams into the surface of the frozen river we are standing upon. From it a corpse-like being wearing rags of what seems to have been a robe with the hood drawn up.

**So that's what a shade looks like.**

Drawing her sword and shield, Cassandra yells out "Stay behind me!" as she runs toward the demon.

As she engages in combat with the demon, I notice a miasma-like mass appear in front of me. **Shit**. It bubbles as the demon attempts to form itself in this realm. Panicking, I look around for anything to defend myself with, not caring that I probably couldn't wield it efficiently. Spotting a pair of short daggers, I lunge for them just as the shade pulls itself into being. Grabbing onto them, I have just enough time to situate myself before it is upon me.

I dodge the first strike of its clawed hands, running around it when it attacks again. This time I attempt to block with one blade while lashing out with the other. It works out as well as I had hoped. As in while I successfully blocked it strike, my counter didn't do as much damage as I had hoped.

It isn't long after that I am disarmed and splayed upon the ice from its latest attack. Sitting up I see Cassandra still fighting her demon but looking back at me with an expression of what could be fear on her face. Looking back at my foe, I see it lunging at me. Scared, I close my eyes as I bring my arms up in a feeble attempt at shielding myself.

"Look out!"

I hear the crackling of what could only be ice, then silence. When I don't feel the claws of the shade, I slowly bring my arms down, followed by opening my eyes. It takes me a moment for my brain to compute what my eyes are seeing, but when it does all I can do is stare. For in front of me is the demon, but it is frozen solid in a block of ice. Still staring, the block then shatters into millions of pieces, taking the demon with it.

I continue to stare at where the demon was as Cassandra comes towards me, her sword still drawn.

"You're a mage!" She yells at me, as if I had deceived her.

"I...huh...wha?" are the only things I can stutter out as I am still trying to compute that I have magic. Honest to God _magic_.

Seeing the surprise on my face, Cassandra lowers her sword. "You did not know?" she asks me.

I look up at her, my eyes wide in disbelief. She sighs as she sheathes her sword, then holds her hand out to me. Still in shock, I reach up to grasp it and she pulls me to my feet.

* * *

**Solas POV**

Looking towards the group of demons, the prisoner seems to get an idea. Looking back at Cassandra, Varric and I, she yells out to us, "Keep them off me! I have an idea!"

"Will it help?" asks Varric, looking down as he preps Bianca.

"It'll either help, kill me, or maim me," she says as she then takes in a deep breath, as if attempting to center herself.

After a moment, Cassandra says "Do what you have to," before charging into the mass of shades. I give her one last look before taking a few steps in front her and firing a volley of fire from my staff at the demons, Varric doing the same with his crossbow.

After a few minutes of firing magic into our foes, I feel what could only be the build-up of magic coming from behind me. Looking back at the prisoner, what I see takes my breath away. For the prisoner-woman, my mind says- behind me is glowing with power. With her hands held as if holding a bow and arrow, the amount of magic surrounding her causing her white hair to lift up and flow around her. A pinprick of magic solidifies in her left hand, and I see her grasp it as a bow of magic solidifies in her grip. Watching in amazement that this woman, this quickling elf, could do this, an arrow of magic then materializes into her right hand. Opening her amethyst eyes, they focus intently on the remaining demons, glowing with power, before she releases the arrow.

* * *

**A/N: and that's where I'll leave it. So... what do you think? Does this deserve its own story? I kid you not, this plot bunny came to me while I was sleeping off a migraine.**


	5. Chapter 3- The Beginning Part 3

**A/N: Hi guys! Hope you're all staying healthy from the coronavirus. Anyway, here's the latest chapter; and don't worry, this ****_should_**** be the last chapter of the "prologue" game-wise. And I'm still looking for a beta-reader, so PM me if you're interested. Without further ado, enjoy!**

**All Elvhen used in this story comes from FenxShiral on AO3. Please correct me if some things are off/incorrect.**

**Disclaimer: Dragon Age belongs to BioWare. All I own is my character, any OCs that may or may not pop up in this story, and the plot.**

* * *

"Hello"- talking

'Hello'- thinking

"_Andaran atishan"_\- speaking Elvhen

* * *

Walking through the gates, I see that the forward camp is situated on a stone bridge. There are soldiers either standing or sitting around hastily-made campfires, racks of weapons and chests of supplies, and hastily erected tables made up of barrels with slabs of wood boards placed on top of them.

Walking further along the 'camp', we all start to hear voices arguing back and forth with one another.

"... to the Temple of Sacred Ashes. It is our only chance!" That's Leiana's voice.

"You have already caused enough trouble without resorting to this exercise in futility." argues a male voice.

Their voices become clearer the closer we get to where they are.

"_I _have caused trouble?" asks Leliana, incredulously.

"You, Cassandra, the Most Holy-haven't you all done enough already?"

"You are not in command here." states Leliana.

"Enough! I will not have it!"

Getting closer, I get my first look at the man arguing with Leliana. He wears the traditional red and white robe of the Chantry with a short, flat black cap with the sunburst in gold on the front of it. His eyebrows are dark and bushy, and he has stubble on his chin.

They notice us as we walk up to them.

"Ah," starts the man, "here they come."

"You made it." Leliana sounds almost relieved. "Chancellor Roderick, this is-"

The Chancellor interrupts her. "I know who she is."

I look at him, confused. I have never met him, so how can he know me?

"As grand chancellor of the Chantry, I hereby order you to take this criminal to Val Royeaux to face execution," he commands.

So much for that trial, Cassandra.

Said woman looks at Roderick, pissed. "'Order me'?" she scoffs at him. "You are a glorified clerk. A bureaucrat!"

"And you are a thug, but a thug that supposedly serves the chantry."

"We serve the Most Holy, as you well know,"corrects Leliana. Oh, I like her already.

"Justinia is dead! We must elect her replacement, and obey _her_ orders on the matter!" yells out Roderick. Well, he's being a prick. And doesn't he realize that the frickin' hole in the sky is more urgent than electing a religious figure? Something that would take up more time than dealing with said frickin' hole in the sky would?

I vocalize my thoughts. "Isn't closing the Breach the more pressing issue?"

I can feel someone approaching me from behind. From my peripheral I see that it is Solas. He walks until he is just behind me but to my left.

"_You_ brought this on us in the first place!" Roderick practically screams at me, gesturing towards me with his left hand.

Cassandra walks towards the table as Roderick just as suddenly seems to deflate in despair.

"Call a retreat, Seeker. Our position here is hopeless."

'No it's not,' I think as I bring my left hand up to my face. 'If I can get to that Breach, I can end all of this.'

It seems that Cassandra carries the same optimism as I. "We can stop this before it's too late."

"How? You won't survive long enough to reach the temple, even with all your soldiers."

"We must get to the temple. It's the quickest route." Cassandra urges, placing her hands onto the table for impact.

"But not the safest," cuts in Leliana. "Our forces can charge as a distraction while we go through the mountains." Leliana points towards said mountains and I look in that direction, seeing a structure built into its side.

"We lost contact with an entire squad on that path. It is too risky." argues Cassandra.

So, we charge with the soldiers and risk dying. Or we take the mountain path and risk the same fate as the squad sent that way. Either way, we're damned no matter what choice we make.

"Listen to me. Abandon this now before more lives are lost!" Roderick urges, desperation almost coloring his tone now.

At that moment, the sky glows greener as the Breach lights up and energy spews forth from it. At the same time, my hand erupts in light and pain and I shake as I attempt and succeed at remaining upright, my right hand closing around my left wrist. Solas' hand lands on the back of my shoulder and I feel his magic as he sends it into me and towards the mark. I can feel the mark absorb his magic and the pain starts to lessen, bit by bit. I bring my hand up as the mark calms and the glowing fizzles to a stop. At that, Solas removes his hand from my back and I feel... I miss that contact? 'Oi Fen, get your priorities straight!'

I notice that everyone is staring at me. "What?"

Cassandra steps toward me. "How do _you_ think we should proceed?"

What. The. Fuck?

"Now you're asking me what _I_ think?" I ask in disbelief. They've been having this whole conversation that involves me, without my input, and they're _now_ asking me for my opinion?

"You have the mark," chimes in Solas, and I give him a flat look that conveys my opinion of what I think about that statement. He cocks an eyebrow at me in response.

"And you are the one we must keep alive. Since we cannot agree on our own..." Cassandra starts, before trailing off while looking at me.

Oh. They want me to decide which path to take? I take in a deep breath to think of the options. If we charge with the soldiers it will be directly to the temple, but there might be casualties and a high chance that the soldiers who took the mountain path will be lost. If we take the mountain path it will be fast but indirect, and there will be some casualties with the soldiers fighting in the valley, but we might be able to save the squad that took that path. After a moment I nod to myself, knowing which one to choose.

Decision made, I look to Cassandra, then Leliana. "Use the mountain path. Hopefully we can find the missing soldiers alive."

I can see Cassandra is disappointed at not charging with the soldiers in the valley, but I honestly believe that if we can save that squad, we have to try.

Varric pats my arm as he passes, a slight grin on his face. I follow him towards the end of the camp.

"Leliana, bring everyone left in the valley. Everyone." Cassandra orders before turning to follow us to the mountain path.

I can faintly hear Roderick warn Cassandra, "On your head be the consequences, Seeker."

"'_Ma serannas_, Solas. Your magic has a calming effect on the mark." I whisper to him, looking at him from the corner of my eye.

**Thank you, Solas.**

_"Lasa halani_, and no thanks are needed. My experiences in the Fade have taught me how to channel my magic in such a way as to do that," Solas murmurs, looking at me with a strange expression on his face.

**You are welcome**

"You'll have to tell me of these experiences when this is over. I have a feeling that they're quite fascinating," I state quietly, honestly curious. What experiences would have taught him that? My mind drifts back to what happened at the first rift. I shake my head a moment later. 'Not now. Breach first, memory dump later.'

* * *

We cross snowy hills and trudge our way up the mountain, towards the ladders that will take us to the tunnel. Ladders that are wooden, old, and look like they haven't been maintained since they were built.

Great.

"I do not like this," I state as Cassandra and Varric make their way up, leaving me and Solas at the bottom of the ladders.

"Not very fond of heights?" he asks, lifting one of his eyebrows up at me.

"It's not the height. It's the fact that we're using ladders that look like they'll fall apart at any minute, taking us with them when they do."

Solas chuckles, and damn if that isn't the hottest thing I have heard. I feel a shiver travel up my spine and hope that I'm not blushing.

"Don't worry, _da'lan._ If you fall, I promise to catch you," he says, and I sigh reluctantly before grabbing the ladder to start the harrowing climb.

**young one/little one**

"The tunnel should be just ahead. The path to the temple lies just beyond it." I hear Cassandra yell down to us from the platform above.

"What manner of tunnel is this? A mine?" Solas yells back over the wind.

"Part of an old mining complex. These mountains are full of such paths." She answers back.

"And your missing soldiers are in there somewhere?" Varric asks as we make our way up another ladder.

"Along with whatever has detained them," adds Solas, climbing after me.

"We shall see soon enough." states Cassandra.

That sounds ominous. I sigh again as we make our way towards the entrance.

* * *

I was right. An unknown amount of time later, after traversing the tunnel and defeating groups of demons as we go, we emerge on the other side to find corpses. Well, shit.

Varric sighs behind me. "Guess we found the soldiers," he mutters as he lessens the tension on Bianca.

"That cannot be all of them," Cassandra states.

"So the others could be holed up ahead?" asks Varric. I hope they are, or this choice would be for nothing.

"Our priority must be the Breach. Unless we seal it soon, no one is safe." argues Solas.

"It doesn't matter if the Breach is sealed if there's no one to celebrate it being sealed," I mutter under my breath as I make my way down the path that will hopefully lead us to the rest of the soldiers. None of the others hear me.

"I'm leaving _that _to our elven friend here," Varric counters, he and the others following after me. I just want this over with so I can sleep. The tiredness I have been feeling since closing the first rift just keeps growing, but I know I won't get any until the Breach is sealed.

A few minutes of traveling down the path, a familiar green glow comes from ahead as my hand lights up in warning. Another rift.

Sighing for what must be the thousandth time today, I draw my blades as I feel Solas' barrier surround us. Activating my stealth I dash towards the rift, hearing Cassandra as she lets out a battle cry as she charges towards the demons, Solas and Varric following suit as they let loose their attacks.

Seeing a shade about to attack one of the soldiers from behind, I dash towards it and impale it through the head and back with my daggers. Making sure the soldier is alright, my stealth cloak falls and I make for the rift, not noticing the woman I had saved looking towards me at that moment.

Like what happened at the previous rift, when I raise my marked hand to it, it doesn't close completely but the energy from it gets disrupted. We take down the current group of demons still there. I start panting in exhaustion.

"Lady Cassandra!" calls out the soldier I had saved.

"Lieutenant! You're alive!" states Cassandra in relief.

"Just barely!" retorts the lieutenant as we all step back from the writhing rift, waiting.

The others join me as the next group of demons appear, including a new type that I haven't seen before. They are green with long spindly limbs and a long tail to match.

"What demons are these?" I yell out, dashing out of the way of one of its attacks.

"Terror demons!" shouts Solas as he fires a bolt of lightning into the group of demons, paralyzing all of the shades and two of the three terrors. This gives us all a chance to take down as many as we can as I make my way back to the rift, feeling Solas' magic as he casts a barrier over us once again.

Once the last demon is taken care of via Varric peppering it with arrows and a sword through its face from Cassandra, I raise my hand to the rift. I feel the pull and I throw my arm back as the rift slams shut.

I stagger back from the force of the closure and all I can do is stand, exhausted, panting and hoping that I don't keel over.

Solas comes up to me. "Sealed, as before. You are becoming quite proficient in this." he compliments me, a slight smirk on his lips.

If I weren't so tired I'd be either blushing or knocking that smirk off of his lips. Compliment or no, can't he see how tired I am after closing all of these rifts?!

"Let's hope it works on the big one." comments Varric, placing Bianca on his back.

I pale at that. If I'm this tired after closing three rifts, how much energy is it going to take to close the Breach? And do I have that energy to spare?

I shakily walk towards where Cassandra is helping the Lieutenant up from where she fell.

"Thank the Maker you finally arrived, Lady Cassandra. I don't think we could have held out much longer."

"Thank our prisoner, Lieutenant," Cassandra nods at me. "She insisted we come this way."

"The prisoner? Then you...?" the woman sounds surprised that I decided to come this way.

"It was worth saving you, if we could. I am glad that we were able to help you in time," I state sincerely to her.

"Then you have my sincere gratitude," says the Lieutenant, thumping her right fist to her chest.

"The way into the valley behind us is clear for the moment. Go, while you still can," commands Cassandra, pointing out the way we had come.

"At once," agrees the Lieutenant. Turning towards the other soldiers with her, she orders, "Quickly, let's move!" and they move at a brisk jog up the path back towards the mine. We watch them till they are out of our sights.

"The path ahead appears to be clear of demons as well," says Solas, turning towards Cassandra and I as she walks over.

"Let's hurry, before that changes," Cassandra says and we make our way forward.

"Down the ladder. That's the way to the temple," Cassandra states as we travel down the path.

I gulp in apprehension. 'Great. Another death trap.'

I slowly make my way to the ladder that is in our way of getting to the temple. Varric and Cassandra are already making their way down it, but I pause. Hearing a chuckle behind me, I realize Solas is still up here with me. I blush in mortification.

"Are you sure that you're not afraid of heights?" teases the smug-looking elf.

I glare at him. "I do not have a fear of heights. It is the ladders. Specifically ones that look like they haven't been maintained since the day they were made."

He chuckles again. "My promise still stands, _da'lan_," and with that, he steps up and begins the descent.

Giving one last misgiving look at the structure, I grab hold of the rungs and start lowering myself down towards the ground that is meters below me.

I was right to be worried. Halfway down, the rung I step down on suddenly gives way under my left foot, and thrown off-balance, I begin to fall.

* * *

**A/N: I was _really_ tempted to end it here, but I won't :P**

* * *

**Solas POV**

Hearing a crack sound from above him, Solas looks up in time to see that the rung Fen had placed her foot on had broken and that she was now falling. _Etunash_! Acting quickly he braces one arm onto the ladder and, when Fen is almost level with him, reaches out with his other to grab her around the waist and towards him. She clings to him with her eyes squeezed shut and shaking like a leaf in the wind.

**Shit!**

Sighing in relief, his ears then pick up her mumbling. It is the same thing that she's whispering, over and over: "_Ar dirthem na_."

**I told you.**

Looking down at the female hanging on to him as if her life depended on it, he knows they're not moving until he can calm her down.

Bending his head a little, he whispers into her ear in a soft tone, "_Felas mar'lan, da'lan_."

**Calm yourself, young one.**

Her head shoots up as she looks at him with her amethyst eyes wide. So she can understand Elvhen, at least more than the common Dalish. He continues his reassurances. "_Eman na. Ane eth_." She takes a few shuddering breaths before her grip on him loosens from its death grip.

**I have you. You are safe.**

"_Dirthas Elvhen?_" she asks him with a watery smile, and he can't help but smile himself. Oh, the irony.

**You speak Elvhen?**

"_Dirthan._ Now I believe we should-" He is interrupted by the dwarf down below.

**I speak.**

"Is everything alright up there?" Varric asks, standing down below them with the Seeker.

"Uh... everything's fine! Just a bad rung!" Fen shouts down to them. She moves to look at them, and Solas only then notices how close their bodies are. He can feel her breasts pressed against his chest, and his hand around her waist is close to brushing against those breasts. With her arms around his neck, their faces are dangerously close. His eyes wander to her lips, wondering how soft they are... He averts his eyes from them.

His thoughts are entering dangerous territory, and this is _not_ the time.

"We should continue down, yes?" Fen asks, and Solas readily agrees.

He adjusts his grip on her as he takes a few steps down until she is above him, and she helps by letting go of him in order to grip the ladder. Until finally both of her feet are on the ladder and they proceed to make it down towards their companions.

"What happened?" asks Cassandra.

He can see Fen blush and wonders about that. "The ladder rung I was on broke. Solas helped me." she replies, quickly walking ahead of them.

They make their way down onto wooden steps and then proceed to walk down them.

Varric walks up to his side with a curious look on his face. "So..." he starts, "holes in the Fade don't just _accidentally_ happen, right?"

That is surprisingly a well thought out question.

"If enough magic is brought to bear, it_ is_ possible." Solas answers, noticing that Fen is also paying attention to the conversation with the way her head is tilted in their direction.

"But there are easier ways to make things explode."

"That is true," he agrees.

Cassandra cuts in, "We will consider _how_ this happened once the immediate danger is past."

The rest of the trek is silent except for the crunching of snow beneath their feet.

Before long, they reach the temple, or what's left of it. Around them are ruined walls, with stone thrown about all over the place and enclosed rooms now just rubble to the open air. Along with the rubble they see burnt up corpses reduced to husks laying scattered about the ground and small patches of fire burning along the ground and on some corpses. And around them, infused into the ruined walls are green lines of energy that he recognizes as Fade energy.

"The Temple of Sacred Ashes," he whispers. This should not have happened. Not like this.

"What's left of it," adds Varric, looking around at the devastation, as were the Seeker and Fen.

Cassandra points towards a section of hallway that, not only is remarkably intact but, leads further in to the temple. "That is where you walked out of the Fade and our soldiers found you. They say a woman was in the rift behind you. No one knows who she was."

**Fen POV**

This is worse than what I had imagined, seeing the destruction with my own eyes. By the Creators, so much worse! I close my eyes and whisper a prayer to Falon'Din under my breath for all of the lives lost here, that they may find their way to their respective afterlives.

Opening my eyes I notice Cassandra and Varric doing something similar, praying to their Maker, but Solas is staring at me. I raise an eyebrow at him.

"You believe in the Creators?" he asks me, a guarded look in his eyes.

"I _was_ raised Dalish," brief as it was, "but if you're asking if I believe they are gods?" he nods at the question. "Then no, I don't believe they were. Powerful mages? Maybe. But not gods." Something in him deflates at my admission, and I see the tension at the corners of his eyes ease. Why would he act like that?

Looking away from him, I make for the intact hallway that Cassandra pointed out, only to stop when I notice something unusual. All around us are burnt up corpses from the explosion, so why is there a fresh corpse?

I walk towards the corpse as Varric notices the same thing. "Shit. What's a fresh corpse doing here?" he asks, walking to where I am now kneeling next to the corpse, examining it.

"I don't know, but it looks like he arrived after the explosion only to be killed by someone," I say, looking it over.

"What makes you think he was killed by someone?" asks Solas, curious.

"The fact that his corpse isn't charred like the others," I start before carefully turning the body over, showing the fatal wound to his torso, "and that the fatal strike looks to have done by a blade to his gut, a long sword if I'm reading this right."

"You can learn that much just by looking at it?" asks Cassandra, surprise coloring her voice.

"As I told Solas, I was raised by the Dalish. We are taught how to read the signs in things. Whether it is a game trail or learning what each weapon's strike looks like on a corpse, animal or otherwise," I mutter as I position the body onto its back and cross its arms over its chest. At their questioning looks, I say "Human, dwarf or elf, no one deserves their body to be left undignified or unhonored like this." They all nod at that, and I notice awe in Cassandra's and Varric's eyes.

"He will be taken back to Haven for burial after the Breach is sealed, and to figure out who did this," states Cassandra, and I nod before standing up to continue into the hallway.

The hallway, brief as it is, is full of rubble, fire and corpses, their last agonizing moments forever preserved in this macabre manner. Some of them are lying on the ground, while others are kneeling or standing, but all have their mouths open in silent screams.

As we reach the end of the hallway it opens up to what must have been the center of the temple. What was once a large central chamber is now open to the air, the ceiling and majority of the walls now gone. And in the center beyond the railing in front of us, is a statue to Andraste, still standing but now in pieces, floating in the energy from the Breach. At the foot of the statue is the largest rift I have ever seen, and above it is what could only be the Breach.

Slowly spinning around to take it all in, Varric says, "The Breach _is_ a long way up." I can only agree with that, silent in amazement and dread.

"You're here. Thank the Maker." I hear behind us. I turn to see that it is Leliana, bow and quiver on her back, and a small group of soldiers, mostly archers but there are a few dual-wielding rogues and warriors with her as well.

"Leliana, have your men take up positions around the temple," orders Cassandra, pointing towards the walkway that will take us to the statue and the rift. Leliana nods to her and walks back to her group, probably to relay their orders to them.

I turn to look back to the rift. At least, until Cassandra walks in front of me. "This is your chance to end this. Are you ready?"

"Am I, truly? No. Will I try? Yes, but I don't know if I can reach that, much less close it." I say, nervous and yet itching for something to happen.

Solas adds his input, "No. This rift was the first, and it is the key. Seal it, and perhaps we seal the Breach." I hope that is true.

Cassandra looks from him and back to me. "Then let's find a way down. And be careful." And with that, we all start down the path that lines the perimeter of the ruined chamber, Leliana joining us.

Turning a corner, we continue on our trek in silence, until a voice breaks the silence.

"Now is the hour of our victory. Bring forth the sacrifice."

We all look at each other in surprise. Who does this voice belong to, and why is it giving me a bad feeling?

"What are we hearing?" asks Cassandra, looking around for the source of the voice.

"At a guess: the person who created the Breach." Solas hypothesizes.

We cautiously continue on. Up ahead there is a red glow, and I see the color drain from Varric's face.

"No," he whispers under his breath, and I am curious. What could have Varric reacting like this?

As we get closer to the source, we see that the red glow is coming from red crystal growing out from the walls. I start to hear a hum; it is disjointed, not in harmony, and yet I feel drawn to it.

"You know this stuff is red lyrium, Seeker." Varric states, looking at the crystal in horror. Red lyrium? Is it any different from regular lyrium?

I walk closer to it, the hum in the back of my mind. That is, until a hand grabs my arm, breaking me of the trance I had fallen into. I turn to look at the source of the hand, my purple eyes meeting the hazel ones of Varric.

"Don't go near it," he warns as he lets go my arm and walks ahead of me.

I make sure to take extra steps away from the corrupted crystal as we walk passed it. The voice comes again further down the walkway.

"Keep the sacrifice still."

A new voice sounds. A female voice.

"Someone help me!"

"That is Divine Justinia's voice!" Cassandra exclaims in shock. What is going on here?

We come to a set of stone steps taking us closer to the center, and we descend them as quickly as we can, ducking under a spike of Fade-infused rock. There is a section of steps missing, and we all take the leap down to the ground floor of the temple where the statue stands.

Landing safely, we all slowly make our way closer to the rift. My marked hand lights up again in the way that it does when we are close to rifts. I bring my hand up just as the voices start up again.

"Someone help me!" comes the Divine's voice.

"What's going on here?" What the fuck? That was my voice!

"That was your voice," says Cassandra to me, "Most Holy called out to you. But..."

Just then there is a burst of energy from the rift, and a scene starts to play out before us. There is a vague shape of who could only be the one that caused this to happen. And before it, the Divine is restrained by red magical energy. Then, an image of me appears.

"What's going on here?" the vision me asks.

"Run while you can! Warn them!" the vision Divine tells vision me.

"We have an intruder." says the vision of the one who caused this.

"Slay the elf!" it commands, pointing at vision me. The vision then explodes in light so bright, that we all cover our eyes to preserve our vision.

When it fades, Cassandra turns to me. "You w_ere_ there! Who attacked? And the Divine, is she...? Was this vision true? What are we seeing?" she barrages me with question after question that my head spins.

"I don't remember!" I practically yell at her, already having told her and Leliana what I did remember back at Haven.

"Echoes of what happened here. The Fade bleeds into this place." Solas provides an answer as to what just happened in front of us. "This rift is not sealed, but it is closed... albeit temporarily." He fully turns to face us. "I believe that with the mark, the rift can be opened, and then sealed properly and safely."

His face takes on a serious expression. "However, opening the rift will likely attract attention from the other side."

"That means demons. Stand ready!" Cassandra orders the soldiers standing scattered about on the ground of the statue, as well as those archers stationed above.

The atmosphere is tense, and I can feel the charged energy in the air as everyone readies themselves for what could come out of the rift.

When Cassandra feels that everyone is as ready as can be, she nods at me before drawing her own sword and shield.

I raise my hand to the rift and feel the connection between my hand and the rift, and I _pull_.

A light bursts from the rift, and what appears can only be described as a behemoth. It's a dark purple in color, is about 20 feet tall, has huge protrusions on its forearms as well as spikes all over its body, and it has 7 eyes on its ugly face. It lets out a roar as it appears.

"A pride demon," Solas murmurs to us, his eyes wide.

"Now!" yells Cassandra, raising her sword.

At once, the archers stationed above release their arrows at the demon. In a burst of lightning, the demon deflects it with its shield-like forearms.

That is the cue for the rest of us to attack. Solas casts a barrier on the immediate group near him- Cassandra, Varric, Leliana and I- before casting a burst of fire at the demon.

Our attacks seem to have no effect on it, whatsoever. Even worse, it looks like _it_ has some sort of barrier covering it. It lets out a bone-chilling laugh as it shrugs off our attacks.

"We must strip its defenses! Wear it down!" I hear Cassandra yell. Okay, but how?

I take a closer look at the demon and notice something. I can see energy traveling between it and the rift. Wait. My mind grinds to a halt, remembering all the times on other rifts where I would disrupt it... That's it!

Getting an idea, I run away from the demon, making sure that I am out of its range before raising my hand to the rift. I feel it connect and I pull on it. At once, the demon falls to its knees as its barrier is ripped from it.

"The demon is vulnerable - now!" Yells Cassandra, and we all take advantage of it. I go into stealth and sprint behind the demon before leaping onto it and stabbing it in the back with both of my blades. Multiple times. The demon lets out a roar as it tries to dislodge me as well as defend against the onslaught of attacks from everyone else.

I disengage as the rift shifts and the barrier appears around the pride demon once again. And once again, I run out its range as fast as I can in order to disrupt the rift again.

After the second time of doing this, more demons, thankfully shades, appear. Two of them immediately go after me, possibly sensing the magic in the mark. Fighting back, I am close to Leliana, who notices my problem, and aids me by unleashing arrows at the demons' backs while I attack from the front. It takes us a few minutes until they die and we concentrate again on the pride demon.

I manage to get a few swipes in before I am forced to retreat as is readies a lightning attack shaped as a whip. I really sprint away from it to get out of range, feeling the static at my back as I barely make it. I decide to just concentrate on the rift.

Two more times of disrupting the rift and it easy to see that the pride demon is on its last legs.

I don't notice it coming near me as I fight against another group of shades until it's too late.

"Look out!" I hear someone yell. I look up, only to see a ball of lightning heading my way. I have no time to dodge as it slams into me, throwing me into the wall and causing me to lose my daggers as my body spasms violently from the lighting in my system.

As I lay on the ground, twitching from the attack, I can feel the ground vibrate as the demon lumbers its way towards me. Through the tears in my eyes I can see Varric and Leliana attempt to catch its attention by peppering it with arrows and Solas slinging ice at it from his staff, but the demon's attention is on me.

As it gets closer to me, the more fear I feel. 'So this is how it ends?' I ask myself as the pride demon readies its lightning whip. Something in me shifts, like there was something holding it at bay but is now gone. I don't notice this, but my eyes start to glow silver, and as it raises its hand to launch its attack at me, energy explodes from my body.

I don't stop to see what just happened. I just stagger to my feet and towards the rift. Raising my hand, the mark and the rift connect and at once I know that I won't be able to close this rift. Not like I am now.

I grimace in pain as the mark takes all of my energy to fuel itself, until a burst of energy shoots up from the rift and towards the Breach. As my vision blackens, I fall back into someone's arms and the last things I notice before darkness engulfs me is Cassandra's voice yelling, "She's a mage?!" and chuckling from the person who is holding me. Then nothing.

* * *

_'Ma serranas_: 'Thank you', literally 'my thanks'

_Lasa halani_: You are welcome (informal and shortened from _Sathem lasa halani_)

_da'lan_: child (f); young person

_etunash:_ shit

_Ar dirthem na_: I told you

_Felas mar'lan:_ Calm yourself (f)

_Eman na:_ I have you

_Ane eth:_ You are safe

_Dirthas Elvhen?_: You speak Elvhen?

_Dirthas_: I speak

* * *

**A/N: Ugh...Next time I say that I'm gonna finish something in 1 chapter, I hope my sister slaps some sense into me. This chapter was a _murder_ for me to write! But, there you have it! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this, cause it will be at least a month before the next one comes out, as I need that time for my brain to rest and the carpal tunnel in my hands to recede. Read and review to let me know what you all think. Oh, and just so you all know, anonymous readers will not be able to review. Whitewolf3190 signing off!**


	6. Chapter 4 - Mamae and What!

**A/N: Happy Easter! How's it going everyone? Staying safe from COVID-19? You won't believe how hard it is to find toilet paper or paper towels in the stores. Anyway, nice to see that people are still reading this story, so I must be doing something right. **

**All Elvhen used is thanks to FenxShiral on AO3. Thanks dude!**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Dragon Age. That honor goes to BioWare. Do you really think that I would be writing fanfics on this if I owned it?**

**To wardenprincess: I know you're trying to help me when you corrected me on my use of da'lan, but please do your research first. In all my previous chapters I cite FenxShiral on AO3 as my source of Elvhen. Chapter 3 of their 'Project Elvhen: an Elvhen Lexicon' clearly has da'len listed as masculine and da'lan as feminine. I'm not flaming you - I like the fact that you corrected me. Just do your research before doing so in the future.**

**Still looking for a Beta Reader!**

* * *

"Hello"- speaking

'Hello'- thinking

_"Andaran atishan"_\- Elvhen

* * *

**Chapter 4- Mamae, & What?!**

_In the middle of the woods, in a large clearing, is a small, one story, quaint wooden cottage. Outside of the cottage is a garden to the right that consists of vegetables, fruit trees and herbs, both for culinary and healing purposes. Running through the garden is a man-made irrigation system consisting of rows of water running near the crops that was diverted from the river running behind the cottage._

_To the left of the cottage is a field filled with targets of various sizes, where a young girl, around the age of four or five, with white hair is standing with her left arm held in front of her. She stares, concentrating on her hand when a bright light flashes in it, taking on a rough shape of a bow. She holds the shape for a brief moment before the magic dissipates. Her face lights up in a bright smile._

_"**Mamae! Mamae!** I did it! I did it! Did you see me?" the girl runs towards her mother standing in front of the cottage, purple eyes bright in excitement and joy._

_"I saw, **asha'lan**. I am so proud of you," the white-haired woman, the girl's mother, says as she kneels on the ground so the girl's arms wrap around her neck as she holds her close in a hug. Her brown eyes smile as she looks at her daughter with pride and affection._

_"It was just for a moment, but I did it! I made a magic bow just like you!" the girl exclaims, excited energy running through her._

_"You did," the mother affirms standing up, the girl held securely in her arms. Walking into the clearing, the mother acknowledges the other occupant there._

_"Now, **da'lan**, what do you say to your **ghi'lin**?" she asks her daughter, placing her on the ground._

_The girl runs towards her teacher, a tall ethereal being of indeterminate gender, wearing armor that while strong, is made more for speed than offense._

_"**'Ma serannas**, Valor!" thanks the girl as she throws her arms around the spirit's legs._

The dream fades with the spirit - Valor - placing its hand upon the girl's head.

* * *

_Mamae_ \- mother (formal or archaic form)

_asha'lan_ \- daughter

_da'lan_ \- little one (f)

_ghi'lin_ \- teacher, guide (gender neutral)

_'ma serannas_ \- thank you (Lit. 'My thanks)

* * *

The first thing I notice when I return to the waking world are the crackling sounds of a fireplace and the crinkling of paper, as if someone were turning the page of a book. The next is that I am lying down on a comfortable mattress with a warm wool blanket placed over me. The air feels warm and stifling, and also smells of wood, smoke from the fireplace, and something musky but familiar.

I slowly open my eyes, only to hiss in pain from the brightness of the room hurting them. I shut them tightly as I hear the rustling of fabric and the sound of a book being placed down.

"_Da'lan_?" I hear a voice ask. I open my eyes again, and through the tears the attempt brings me, I squint as I see the blurry image of a familiar elf leaning over me.

"Solas?" I groan out after a moment, voice cracking from how dry it is.

I hear him sigh, as if in relief, before asking me, "Can you sit up?"

I blink at him, processing the question then test my limbs by tensing the muscles. I shake my head at him when my limbs are slow to respond, the strongest response being the muscles in my arms twitching.

"I am going to move you," is the only warning I get before he reaches his hands out to place under my arms. He lifts me up briefly before sitting me up against the head of the bed. Then he holds on to me with one arm as he rearranges the pillows and blanket with the other. Throughout the whole thing, I am blushing and refuse to look at him. Those hands that are callused from wielding his staff are soft and warm... Then it's over as he releases his grip from me.

'I really have to stop thinking like this. But those hands... and how gentle he was... Stop! I am not some young teen with their first crush!'

"Water?" he asks me, nodding towards the pitcher set on the table in front of the bed. I nod and he fetches it and a cup, filling it before coming back to my side. I carefully take the cup into both of my hands and slowly raise it to my lips. My hands shake, but I am able to successfully sate my dry throat without spilling. Solas takes the cup from me before looking at me again.

"Do you remember what happened?" he asks me, a somewhat serious look on his face.

"Remember?...At the breach?" I ask, and he nods his head. "I remember the demon, you said it was a pride demon," his eyes widen a fraction in surprise- was I not supposed to hear that? "It had a barrier surrounding it; formed from the rift. I stripped the demon of it many times by disrupting the rift; a voice shouting in warning, then pain." I shudder in remembering the pain that the lightning ball the demon sent at me had caused. "I remember hearing it's footsteps as it got closer, then..." my voice trails off as my memory cuts off. "What happened after that?" I ask him, confusion clearly on my face.

"You don't remember what you did to the demon?" he asks and I shake my head. What _I_ did? He sighs as he pinches the bridge of his nose with one hand before looking at me. "Your eyes glowed silver, then it turned to stone before shattering."

My eyes widen, but he is not done speaking, "You then attempted to seal the Breach..." I interrupt him.

"What do you mean by 'attempted'?" I blurt out. He gives me a look for interrupting him, but answers my question.

"While the Breach isn't completely sealed, it has calmed down and no more demons are coming from it." he states calmly. I look down at my hands, especially my left one, as he continues, "You have been unconscious for two days, and expected to awake at the least tomorrow. That you have awoken today is a good sign, even though your limbs feel weak." I look up at him with flushed cheeks.

I think back to what he said. My eyes glowed silver? I turned the demon to stone? A niggling feeling stirs in me, as if these instances should be familiar, but the why of the familiarity slips away before I can grasp it. I look at him. 'Maybe he will know what these things mean.'

"Solas," I start and he nods for me to continue, "What do you know about the glowing eyes, and the demon turning to stone? I have never done those things before," that I can remember, at least.

It seems that my question has thrown him off, as it takes a little while for him to respond. "It means that you are more powerful than the average mage," he pauses, then seems to rethink something, "No, possibly more powerful than any mage in this Age."

"Does this mean that you've seen this occur on your journeys in the Fade?" I ask.

His face takes on an expression of slight shock. "You remember that?" he asks me.

"Of course I remember!" I say indignantly. "I did express my curiosity in wanting to learn what you've seen, did I not?"

Before he can respond, a loud growling sound echoes in the cabin. My face explodes into a violent blush when I realize that it is my stomach that had made that sound.

Solas chuckles and I hide my face in my hands, embarrassed beyond belief. '_Fen'harel ver em!'_

**Dread Wolf take me!**

"It appears that you're in need of sustenance," he states as he stands up. "I'll go to the tavern to fetch you some food, as well as the apothecary for a regenerative for your muscle weakness." he continues, and my legs spasm at the reminder.

He exits the cabin before I can say anything. I am still mortified that that happened, and all I can do is groan aloud in the now almost empty room.

* * *

**Solas POV**

As Solas leaves the patient... Fen's cabin, he can't help but frown to himself. His discussion with her has left him with more questions than answers. 'If this Age can produce someone with that amount of power, have I misjudged them?' He shakes his head in denial. 'It doesn't matter. This does not change anything.'

He swiftly walks up the steps and past his cabin to reach the apothecary. Opening the door, he sees the man that serves as the Inquisition's alchemist and healer. He is a human male with a somewhat tall but stocky build, with black hair sheared close to his head and a beard. The man also wears the robes of a mage, even though he has no lick of magic in him.

"What do you want?" comes the gruff question.

"Our patient is awake, but is experiencing muscle weakness." I tell the man, Adan.

"She is, is she?" Adan mutters, "I'm not surprised at the muscle weakness. She took a lightning-based attack head on and then attempted to close that Maker-be-damned Breach." The man rummages in a few drawers before walking over to Solas with four clear bottles and a jar. Placing them into a pouch before handing them over, Adan gives him instructions, "The bottles are elfroot and regeneratives, the jar is a rub for the muscle spasms. One bottle now, the other one before bed - for both the elfroot and the regenerative. The jar is as needed." Finished, Adan goes back to reading a book, a recipe manual, Solas thinks, based on the grumbling the man does under his breath.

Taking that as his queue to leave, Solas exits the apothecary, but not before securing the pouch to his belt. He steps into his cabin for a moment to retrieve a small bottle containing a certain potion that he knows the potions of this Age don't heal. He adds it to the potions Adan gave him, before he exits his cabin.

He walks down the steps and down the path until he reaches the tavern. As he opens the door, the temperature difference from the outside is noticeable, with the fireplace roaring and the many patrons sitting at the tables inside. Turning to the left, where a counter sits, he sees the owner of the tavern. A woman named Flissa, if his memory is correct.

"Ah! Messer Solas." Flissa greets him. "Your usual order?"

"Not this time. I need a soup that is easy on the stomach and some bread," he says to her

Flissa blinks at him for a moment before excitement enters her face. "Then you mean she's...?" she asks.

"Awake but too tired to exit her cabin today," Solas affirms for her.

"So an easy soup with bread," Flissa confirms and he nods. "It'll be ready in fifteen minutes. You sure you don't want anything?"

He thinks for a moment before conceding. "My usual then. Send both orders to her cabin, as I need to head back to give her her potions."

She nods to him. "Alright. I'll make sure someone runs by with your meals." She then turns behind her and starts barking orders to the cooks in the kitchen.

He drops the required payment on the counter before turning around for the door. Solas sees the dwarf- Varric- beckon him over from his table near the door, tankard in hand. Thinking for a second, Solas decides that it couldn't hurt to talk to him.

Refusing the seat offered to him, Solas stands across from the dwarf as he lowers his tankard to the table.

"So, how is our friend doing?" Varric asks.

"Awake but weak," Solas answers. "I'm supposed to be heading back with her potions", he gestures to the pouch hanging off his belt.

"Oh, I see," Varric seems to grin at him, "you just want to spend more time with her!" He seems to shake in repressed laughter.

"Of course I need to 'spend time' with her, as you put it," Solas scowls at him. "I need to make sure that she doesn't hurt herself more than she already has. Good day, _durgen'len_." He turns around and exits the tavern, not hearing Varric break out into laughter.

**Child of the Stone**

Stalking back to Fen's cabin, Solas frowns at the conversation he had just had with the infuriating dwarf. His frown deepens as what he was insinuating. 'That cannot happen. Not now, not ever.' he thinks vehemently.

He then sighs, schooling his features. Removing the pouch from his belt, he holds it in one hand before reaching for the cabin door and turns the knob.

* * *

**Fen POV**

I remove my hands from my face after Solas has been gone for a few minutes, I think back on the information that he has told me.

'So I didn't close the Breach,' I think dejectedly, staring at my marked hand. As if in response, it lights up for a brief moment before dimming again. I sigh as I think to the rest of the discussion.

'Not only do I fail in closing the Breach, but I somehow am a mage that turned a Pride demon, of all things, to stone.' I lean my head back until it rests against the wall of the cabin with a soft thump.

'If I'm more powerful than most, if not all, mages here, then who's going to teach me?' I purse my lips as I shakily cross my arms across my chest, thinking deeply about the predicament that I am now in. An image of Solas pops into my head, and I blush as I widen my eyes at that. But then an idea comes to me.

'If Solas has seen these instances in the Fade, could he teach me by showing me what he has seen?'

My mind goes back to the strange dream I had before waking up. Of the child learning magic under the guidance of her mother and the spirit, Valor. 'Was that me? I mean, she looked like me, and I am missing most of my memories. Could Solas help me?' I pause for a moment. 'Could I trust him with this secret? It's going to come out that I don't remember my past, but can I trust him this early?' I sigh as I uncross my arms, laying them across my lap.

Done with the heavy thinking, I look around at the cabin I am in. The bed is tucked into one corner. The fireplace is set on the same wall as the headboard to my left - no wonder why the smell of burning wood was so strong. The desk sits to my left against the far wall, with books and parchment piled on it, and a chair placed in front of it. In front of me is a small table in front of the bed, and a bookcase placed on the wall in front of me. And along the same wall as the desk there is - of all things - a raven. What in the Void am I to do with my own personal raven?

Before I can finish looking around, the door in front of me - the entrance to and from the cabin - opens and Solas walks in, a pouch held in one of his hands. He has a pensive look on his face, as if he was told something that he doesn't like.

'Since when can I read his facial expressions so well?'

"A copper for your thoughts?" I joke with a smirk, and his gaze locks with mine. We stare for a moment, before he breaks it with a shake of his head, a smirk on his lips, before emptying the contents of the pouch onto the small table. He picks up three of the five bottles - two of them clear and the other one opaque - and a jar, before walking to my bedside table and places them on it. Then, he sits in the chair that had been placed beside the bed.

"The food will be here in a few minutes, but I want to go over your potions before hand," I nod, with him so far. "The two clear bottles are elfroot and a regenerative, take one of each now and the other ones tonight after your evening meal. The jar is a muscle rub, as your muscles might spasm as they recover; it is as needed. This opaque bottle," he lifts it up for emphasis, "is my own brew that I find works on restoring the nerves in the body. As you were electrocuted during our fight, I believe it will work on you- take it right before bed," he says, and I have to nod at the serious look on his face.

"Understood," I say, and he hands me one of the clear bottles. Taking a whiff of it, I know that it's elfroot, and I toss it back quickly, shuddering at the disgusting taste. Solas chuckles and I give him a small glare. He merely gives me the other clear bottle after a moment - the regenerative - and I swallow the contents of that as well.

Solas hands me a cup of water, and I gratefully drain it to rid my mouth of the horrible aftertaste. After I hand the cup back to him I ask, "Why can't I take the nerve restorative now as well?"

He chuckles again before answering, "As the name implies, it is a restorative for the nerves. If you were to take this now, you would feel uncomfortable as it feels like pins and needles all over your body as it works."

I give him a flat look. "Then how am I supposed to sleep if I take it before sleeping tonight?"

"There is a mild sedative in it. It won't be as effective right now, as there is daylight, but there is enough in it where you will fall sleep and sleep through the effects of the restorative as it works," he says, a slight smirk on his lips.

At that moment a servant knocks on the door, and Solas stands to open it. It is an elven female, and I see Solas' posture tense, carrying a tray laden with two bowls and a loaf of bread. My stomach lets out a - thankfully small - growl at the delectable smell coming from the bowls, and watch as the servant places the tray on the table in front of me before leaving.

Solas grabs one of the bowls and half of the loaf before striding back towards me and places it on the bedside table. He then goes back and grabs the other bowl and remaining loaf. It is this serving that he hands me, hands a bit steadier after downing the two potions.

I wait until he is seated before digging in. It's just broth and bread, but even I know that eating anything heavier than that would be a _bad_ idea right now. Things are pretty silent while we eat, and I am a little uncomfortable about it.

My movements, while still unstable, are more coordinated than earlier. But as we finish eating our meal, my left arm cramps up. I let out a hiss, and Solas looks at me. "My left arm cramped up," I tell him, and he grabs my empty bowl.

Quickly depositing both bowls onto the table, he returns and carefully grabs my arm. Rolling the sleeve of my shirt up to my elbow, we both look to see the muscles of my forearm spasm sporadically under the skin. Sending a pulse of magic into my arm, he reaches for the jar and places it into the palm of my right hand. I hold onto it as he unseals the jar, then scoops out a portion of the gel inside. He spreads it over my forearm, and I jerk at the coldness of the gel.

"Sorry," I mutter as his eyes briefly look up, but I get no response as he concentrates on what he's doing.

He starts to rub the gel into my skin, and the coolness slowly fades as the gel warms up. After a few minutes of massaging the gel into my arm and fingers, the spasms start to abate.

"Is the mark bothering you?" He asks me, working back up my arm from the wrist.

I shake my head. "No. Just the forearm." He gives a slight hum in acknowledgement.

"Anywhere else?" he asks, as my arm completely relaxes. I think for a moment, assessing my condition.

I shake my head, "That's it, for now," I tell him, and he wipes his hands with a rag before taking the jar from me, placing the cap back on before placing it on the bedside table.

"Is there anything else you need before I leave?" He asks me, and my mood plummets. Ouch. Guess he's only doing all of this cause it's his job.

My smile is brittle when I answer him, "Can you bring me a book to read? It will be boring with nothing else to do."

Solas nods before going to one of the shelves in the cabin. "What genre?" he asks me, his fingers skimming over the spines of the books.

_"Era'mana,"_ is my immediate answer. He turns to look at me, an eyebrow raised. "_Neran dirthalal_," I mutter under my breath, my face blushing.

**History...I enjoy learning.**

I hear him chuckle before hearing his footsteps. I look up to see him with a book in his hand. He hands it to me, and I immediately grip the book with both hands.

We stare at each other before Solas breaks the silence, "I will check on you in the evening to see how you are doing." I nod at that and he turns to leave.

"Solas?" He turns at the sound of his name. _"Ma melava halani."_ I continue, not looking at him, already lost in the pages of the book.

I do not see the widening of Solas' eyes at the form of thanks I had absentmindedly given him. Nor do I hear Solas' response as he leaves the cabin.

"_'Ma neral,_ lethal'lan."

* * *

_Era'mana_ \- History

_Neran dirthalal_ \- I enjoy learning

_Ma melava halani_ \- an Elvish idiom essentially meaning "You have spent your time to help me." (Archaic and intimate form of "thank you.")

_'Ma neral_ \- My pleasure (archaic and informal form of 'you're welcome')

_lethal'lan_ \- close friend (f)

* * *

**A/N: And that's it! Sorry for the long wait. This is a filler chapter to establish a few things for later on. So, rate and review to let me know what you think! Whitewolf3190 signing off!**


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